Cylindrical hair brush

ABSTRACT

A cylindrical hair brush comprises a cylindrical hub having brush bristles set therein, and an axial shaft on which the hub is rotatable. A handle and an operating knob are also provided, one of which is fixed to the other end of the shaft and the other of which is slidable on the shaft into and out of coupled engagement with the hub. When the hub is thus coupled, it does not turn relative to the handle; but when the slidable member is slid away from the hub, the hub is relatively free to rotate on the shaft. This rotation may be braked by a braking sleeve between the shaft and the hub, and/or an adjustable set screw, and/or the pressure of the thumb and index finger on a portion of the hub at the handle end of the hub which is free from brush bristles. A spring surrounds the shaft and acts between the operating knob and the handle to urge the slidable member toward coupled relation with the hub.

United States Patent [191 Nogues CYLINDRICAL HAIR BRUSH [76] Inventor: Pierre Robert Nogues, Hotel Hermitage, Monte Carlo, Monaco [22] Filed: Feb. 26, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 445,926

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Feb. 26, 1973 France 73.08197 May 30, 1973 France 73.21160 [52] US. Cl......'. 15/27 [51] Int. Cl. A46B 15/00 [58] Field of Search 15/27, 160, 230; 132/33 A [56] References Cited FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,100,842 4/1955 France 15/27 1,222,686 1/l960 France 15/27 Primary Examiner-Edward L. Roberts Attorney, Agent, or Firm.Young & Thompson [57] ABSTRACT A cylindrical hair brush comprises a cylindrical hub having brush bristles set therein, and an axial shaft on which the hub is rotatable. A handle and an operating knob are also provided, one of which is fixed to the other end of the shaft and the other of which is slidable on the shaft into and out of coupled engagement with the hub. When the hub is thus coupled, it does not turn relative to the handle; but when the slidable member is slid away from the hub, the hub is relatively free to rotate on the shaft. This rotation may be braked by a braking sleeve between the shaft and the hub, and/or an adjustable set screw, and/or the pressure of the thumb and index finger on a portion of the hub at the handle end of the hub which is free from brush bristles. A spring surrounds the'shaft and acts between the operating knob and the handle to urge the slidable member toward coupled relation with the hub.

10 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures US. Patent Oct. 7,1975 Sheet 1 of 2 3,909,868

CYLINDRICAL HAIR BRUSH Hairdressers, in order to set the hair, use cylindricalbrushes. They begin by rolling up the locks of hair, beginning at their ends, toward the hair roots, while turning the brush in the desired direction. Then, to set the curl, one unrolls downwardly which requires one to turn in the opposite sense with short successive strokes while grasping the brush in the hand to arrest its rotation and to hold the hairs. These simultaneous actions, repeated a large number of times, attack the musclesof the wrist and of the hand and tire them, and eventually cause pain in the wrist and disable the hand.

So as better to set the hair, it is preferable to roll the hair while wet at the same time that one dries it. It is therefore necessary that one hand operates the brush while the other hand holds a dryer close to the hairs that are engaged by the brush.

-Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cylindrical hair brush which overcomes the above difficulties. 1

Anotherobject of the present invention is the provision of a cylindrical hair brush with a variable degree of rotatability.

Finally, itis an object of the present invention toprovide a cylindrical hair brush which will be relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture, easy to operate, and rugged and durable in use.

Briefly, the objects of the present invention are achieved by an arrangement in which the cylindrical brush comprises, mounted freely on a shaft, a hub carrying the bristles, an operating knob and a handle, one or the other of the latter being able to slide axially on the shaft with means to couple it to the hub.

Spring means normally urges the handle or the operating knob toward locked position with the hub carrying the bristles. When the handle is disposed between the hub and the operating knob, the arrangement is as follows: the brush bristles are implanted in the hub which is freely rotatable on the axial shaft with perhaps a friction brake interposed between the hub and the shaft, and the handle is also freely rotatably mounted on the shaft but can slide axially on the shaft so as to be rotatively coupled with the hub; for example, the axial shaft is provided, at one end beyond the handle with a knob which the operator can actuate with the palm of his while holding the handle in his fingers, and a spring interposed between this knob and a shoulder on the handle normally maintains the handle coupled to the hub, as is necessary to roll up the locks of hair; but to set the hair, it suffices to draw the handle down while pushing on the knob, which uncouples the handle and leaves the handle free to turn without the operator having to twist his wrist.

In the other case, when the operating knob is disposed between the hub and the handle, the arrangement is as follows: the handle and the operating knob are reversed in position; and the brush therefore comprises, mounted freely on the shaft, a cylindrical hub bearing the bristles, an operating knob disposed between the hub and the handle, said knob having at one end a connection with the hub and at the other end being encased within the handle so that, upon sliding telescopic movement, the handle is coupled to or uncoupled from the hub, and a spring disposed between an internal shoulder of the handle and the operating knob, the spring urging the operating knob into coupled relation with the hub.

In the first embodiment, that is to say when it is the handle that slides axially and that is disposed between the hub and the operating knob, certain difficulties may be encountered by unskilled operators. Thus, for example, no displacement of the handle relative to the operating knob might be effected with the palm of the hand which holds the handle, while sliding the side of the palm on the operating knob, and then regrasping the knob and handle to hold them together. This operation is difficult, the more so if at the same time one uses the preferred method of rotation, as it is necessary to apply the thumb and. index finger more or less lightly to the end of the hub to retard its rotation. One could also use the middle finger which is quite close to the operating knob, using it to pull the operating knob to bring the handle and the operating knob together so as to uncouplc the hub.

The second embodiment avoids these inconveniences and avoids this difficult operation. In this latter case, it suffices to use the middle finger, which is strong and adroit to move the operating knob axially and to push with the end of the middle finger more or less lightly on the hub so as more or less to retard the rotation of the hub to permit forming the lock of hair.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 show a brush whose handle is axially displaceable and is disposed between the hub carrying the bristles and the operating knob.

FIG. 4 is an axial cross-sectional view of the second embodiment of the invention, with the brush in the position for unrolling or uncurling the hairs.

FIG. 5 is an axial cross-sectional view of this second embodiment of the brush, in the position to roll up the a lock of hair.

the hand-on the operating knob of the shaft has uncoupled the handle from the hub, the hub being able to turn in the direction of the arrow when the handle is drawn down along the length of the lock of hair. FIG. 3 is an axial cross section showing the internal spring and the frictional brake for retarding rotation.

In FIG. 3, M is the hub in which are implanted the brush bristles, P is the handle, B is the operating knob which is fixed to the end of the axial shaft T by a set screw 1 and which knob can cause the handle to slide on the shaft. The other end of the shaft comprises an enlargement 2 to retain the hub M in place, and bears a small sleeve 3 of packing material, rubber or other material for frictionally engaging the hub so as to constitute a friction brake between the hub and the shaft. The spring 4 interposed between the knob B and an internal shoulder 5 of the handle, presses the handle in the direction of the arrow f so as to engage (FIGS. 1 and 2) the tooth 6 of the handle in a recess 7 of the hub M to couple the hub and handle rotatively together.

To roll up locks of hair (FIG. 1), the two pieces comprising the tooth 6 and the recess 7 will remain coupled and the operator will not press the knob B; as a result, the brush is necessarily turned upon rotation of the handle.

To unroll the lock of hair and shape it, the operator holds the handle with the fingers and presses with the palm of his hand against the knob B, which moves the handle and the knob toward each other and unlocks the handle and the brush, whereupon the brush can turn in the opposite direction (arrOW f), the hub of the brush being braked by the friction of the sleeve 3, whereupon the hairs are separated in the manner of an ordinary brush.

It will be understood that the braking action of the sleeve 3 should be fairly strong so that itsresistancc will retard rotation of the brush during shaping of the lock of hair; but if, in spite of that, this result is not achieved, the operator may, by pressing on the knob B, reengage the brush and the handle and turn the handle a bit so as to force the separation of the hairs and to shape them, after which the hub may be uncoupled from the handle. The braking action of the sleeve 3 may be regulated as desired by a set screw R which contacts to a greater or lesser extent the shaft T to increase or decrease the resistance to turning of the hub on the shaft.

It is possible to vary this resistance of the brush to turning, by pressing for example with the thumb and index finger on the hub M (FIG. 2). This resistance permits shaping of the lock of hair.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, the hub M bearing the bristles over almost its entire length 1 is, as in the previous embodiment, free to turn on the axial shaft T; it is retained in place longitudinally on the shaft by the end'screw 2 and by a circlip 10; the handle P, is secured at its end 11 on the shaft; it is tubular so to surround the shaft and the spring 4 and to contain at its other end 12, a coupling 13 between itself and the operating knob B,,, which latter can slide on the shaft and can be connected in rotation with the hub M by a dogtooth connection 14. [n the normal position (FIG. 2), the spring 4 maintains the operating knob B engaged with the hub M, by the teeth and recesses of the dogtooth connection 14. The lock of hair may thus roll up on the hub M of the brush. To shape the lock of hair (FIG. 4), the knob B is disengaged from the coupling 14 by sliding the knob toward the handle P while theoperators hand may easily maintain the parts in this position while the hub M can turn freely.

For best shaping of the hair, it is necessary to retard more or less the rotation of the hub with the thumb and index finger, which is the preferred manner of effecting this braking. The end of the thumb and the end of the index finger press more or less lightly against the portion of hub M that is free from bristles and that overlies the coupling 14.

From a consideration of the foregoing disclosure,

therefore, it will be evident that all of the initially re- I cited objects of the present invention have been achieved.

Although the present invention has been described and illustrated in connection with preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that modifications and variations may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention, as those skilled in this art will readily understand. Such modifications and variations are considered to be within the purview and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A cylindrical hair brush comprising a hub having brush bristles thereon, a straightshaft on which said hub is rotatable, and a handle and an operating knob on said shaft, said hub and handle and knob being coaxial, one of said handle and operating knob being fixedly secured to the shaft, the other of said handle and operating knob being slidable on the shaft, and coupling means between said hub and said other of said handle and operating knob for selectively coupling said hub to and uncoupling said hub from said other of said operating handle and knob.

2. A brush as claimed in claim 1, in which said handle is disposed between said hub and said operating knob.

3. A brush as claimed in claim 1, in which said operating knob is disposed between said hub and said handle.

4. A brush as claimed in claim 1, in which said other of said handle and operating knob is freely rotatable on said shaft when uncoupled from said hub.

-5. A brush as claimed in claim 1, and means acting between said hub and said shaft to increase the friction between said hub and said shaft thereby to retard the rotation of said hub on said shaft.

6. A brush claimed in claim 5, in which said friction means comprises a set screw carried by said hub and acting on said shaft.

7. A brush as claimed in claim 5, in which said friction means comprises a friction sleeve interposed between said shaft and said hub.

8. A brush as claimed in claim 7, in which said spring is a coil-compression spring surrounding said shaft and housed within said handle and operating knob.

9. A brush as claimed in claim 1, ,in which said coupling means comprises a dogtooth coupling.

10. A brush as claimedin claim 1, and a spring interposed between said handle and said operating knob and urging said other of said handle and operating knob toward said hub. 

1. A cylindrical hair brush comprising a hub having brush bristles thereon, a straight shaft on which said hub is rotatable, and a handle and an operating knob on said shaft, said hub and handLe and knob being coaxial, one of said handle and operating knob being fixedly secured to the shaft, the other of said handle and operating knob being slidable on the shaft, and coupling means between said hub and said other of said handle and operating knob for selectively coupling said hub to and uncoupling said hub from said other of said operating handle and knob.
 2. A brush as claimed in claim 1, in which said handle is disposed between said hub and said operating knob.
 3. A brush as claimed in claim 1, in which said operating knob is disposed between said hub and said handle.
 4. A brush as claimed in claim 1, in which said other of said handle and operating knob is freely rotatable on said shaft when uncoupled from said hub.
 5. A brush as claimed in claim 1, and means acting between said hub and said shaft to increase the friction between said hub and said shaft thereby to retard the rotation of said hub on said shaft.
 6. A brush as claimed in claim 5, in which said friction means comprises a set screw carried by said hub and acting on said shaft.
 7. A brush as claimed in claim 5, in which said friction means comprises a friction sleeve interposed between said shaft and said hub.
 8. A brush as claimed in claim 7, in which said spring is a coil-compression spring surrounding said shaft and housed within said handle and operating knob.
 9. A brush as claimed in claim 1, in which said coupling means comprises a dogtooth coupling.
 10. A brush as claimed in claim 1, and a spring interposed between said handle and said operating knob and urging said other of said handle and operating knob toward said hub. 